The cost-effectiveness of population-based screening for alcohol use disorder in Thailand

Abstract:

Alcohol consumption is one of the major disease burdens in Thailand, particularly in Thai male. It is
believed that screening, with a brief intervention, can reduce the prevalence of alcohol abuse. The study
aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) or Alcohol,
Smorking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in detecting alcohol abuse disorder in
the Thai population, followed by a brief intervention, via a decision tree model. The effectiveness of the
program was expressed in terms of the number of life-years gained from the reduction of alcohol consumption.
The results show that alcohol screening, followed by a brief intervention, saved cost while
contributing to the gain of population’s life years. Screening in a younger population was more costeffective
than in an older population.